Foldable cardboard bottle carrier



Feb. 19, 1952 E. N. CASTLE FOLDABLE CARDBOARD BOTTLE CARRIER Filed Jan. 10, 1950 Patented Feb. I9, 1952 2,586,301 FOLDABLE cARDBoARD BOTTLE CARRIER Eli N. Castle, Sm Orange, N. J.

Application January 10, 1950, Serial No. 137,813

This invention relates to a bottle carrier and it is one object of the invention to provide a.

carrier which is formed from a single blank of cardboard, or other suitable sheet material, and is of such construction that theblank may be folded and form a carrier divided into bottle receiving pockets by partitions extending longitudinally and transversely of the carrier.

Another object of the invention is to provide a carrier wherein the longitudinally extending partition is formed of sections which are detachably connected with each other and thus held in position for forming the longitudinal partition and also holding end walls forming portions of the blank in place across ends of the bottom of the carrier.

Another object of the invention is to provide a carrier having a bottom which is foldable transversely along a longitudinally extending fold line, the carrier also having end walls and transverse partitions which are flexible so that when end sections of the longitudinal partition are released from each other, the carrier may be collapsed to a flattened condition in which its side walls are disposed in close face to face relation to each other.

Another object of the invention is to so form the carrier that while it may be disposed in either a folded or extended position it will bev firmly held in the extended position and its parts prevented from moving out of proper relation to each other.

With these and other objects in view, themvention consists of an improved construction'and arrangement of parts, one practical embodiment of the invention being illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a view looking down upon the blank from which the improved bottle carrier is formed;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the carrier when partially formed;

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the carrier;

Figure 4 is a sectional view, taken longitudinally through the carrier, along the line 4-4 of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a transverse sectional view, taken along the line 5-5 of Figure 3; and

Figure 6 is a view showing a corner portion of the carrier in perspective with portions in section.

This improved bottle carrier is formed from the blank shown in Figure 1, and referring to this figure, it will be seen. that the blank has a center portion I and side strips 2 and 3, the side strips having end portions free from and 5 Claims. (01. 22 -28) projecting beyond ends the center portion l and the strip. 3 .having -extensions 4 disposed; along-theirginner sides and spaced from ends .of,

the center section I.

attached to the bottomfalong opposite sides thereof. a

After the side strips have been bent upwardly to formthe side walls 8, the free end portions ;of the strips are foldedinwardly towards each other to form sections 9 of end walls ID of the carrier andinner ends of the freeend portions of the strips are each formedwith a plurality of transversely spaced parallel creases llso that the end Walls will-be connected with the side walls by arcuate corner. portions I2 which follow the curvature of the rounded corners of the bottom 1.. v ,7

After forming. the end walls, the ends of the strips are bent inwardly along the fold lines l3 to form inwardly extending portions which form transverse partitions l4. for the carrier. These partitions are each formed with a p urality of transversely spaced creases [5 so that their inner end portions maybe disposed parallel and in close face to face relation to each other and the companion partitions then curved away from each other and extend transversely of the carrier towards the side walls 8. Outer ends of the transverse partitions are bent along fold lines It to form lips I! and these lips are glued or otherwise secured against inner faces of the side walls. Since the partitions are creased to form the lines I5, they may be moved from an extended position to a folded -position in which they extend longitudinally of the carrier and are disposed flat against the corner forming portions of the side strips. The partition-forming portions of the side strip 2 are out along arcuate lines 18 to form tongues l9 and these tongues are glued orotherwise securely'fastened against inner faces of the end wan forming portionsof the strip 3 so that'the two end wall sections 9 will be firmly held in meeting relation to each t er- I j Before the endportions of the side strips are bent to form the end wall sections 9 and the transverse partitions [4; the flaps 4 of the strip 3 are bent along the fold lines 20 which extend between inner ends of the flaps and inner ends Thev center section is. creased longitudinally midway its width to forma fold line 5 and along opposite side .edgesof the center section are fold lines -B.-- The center section I forms the bottom 1 .of the carrier andthe side strips 2 and 3 are-foldable upwardly along the lines 6 to ,form side .wallsB which are lips or tongues 23 which are disposed flat against.

side faces of the flaps and serve as reinforcements for ends of a longitiidi-nal' partitionllwhich has end sections 25 formediby the twoflaps 4.

Tongues 26 are out from thefi'aps'toprovide-thefree inner ends of the partition sections 25. The tongues of the two partition sections extend in directions opposite to each other and when the partition sections '25 are; grasped by" their: free inner ends; the tongues "maybepassed' through openings 27' formed by the tonguesand the:

tongues 'then"disposediin overlapping andinter lockedi engagement with" each" other and': thus causethe .twosecti'onsflEf to -form'a partition extendinghthe full length of the. carrier: When the tongues are. releasedfromeach other: the" bottomv'lfmaybefolded along'the'line '5 and the transverse partitions will be flattened andthe side wallsmoved' to a position" in close proximity: to. each other. The carrier will thus be'folded' and; collapsed to: a flatim'assand" a number-of the collapsed: carriers stacked upon" a shelf) in a store or wrapped forshipme'nt by "a- 'manufac;- turer. The slotstZB register and'form openings through" which portions" Yoiia" handle may be": engagedandthus allow the carrier to belifted convenientlycarriediromone place'zto another;

From the foregoing description ofthe construe tion of myimproveddevice, the operation thereof and the method" of assembly will be.v readily. understood and. it/will beuseenrthat I have provided. a comparatively s'impldinexpensive and efficient meansior. carrying out the various .Objects'of theinvention.

WhlleHL have. 7 particularly d'escrib'ed'i. the elements best adaptedvto.performithe;lfunctionsset forth, it isapparent that-variouschangesin forms proportion andrinrther minor: details of construction-:maybe resorted to; withoutdeparting. from the spirit; or sacrificing any ofrthe principles oi the invention.v

Having; thus described. the invention. what is claimed is;

L A- carrier! comprising. an bottom, sidewalls united with opposite aside-edges. of said. bottom and having end portions.'-.f-ree from :the bottom andrextending: longitudinally therefrom andibent towards each vother acrossends-of'the bottomand meeting, midway thavwidth ofthe bottom and forming-= end-Y walls-of: thevcarrier, thea .saidsiree portions of. the wallsebeing bent inwardly at their intersection with each other.- and. forming :partitionsbentitransversely of; the bottomiand secured at their endsdtor-innerafacessof .the sidewalls, the said partitionsfhavingltonguescut therefrom and secured against-portions forming therend walls, and the partition-forming portions at oneside having. extensions alongttheirinner. sides partially severedstherefrom-tandbent upwardly and Lforming; end, portions of. alongitudmal partition. the said side-extensionshaving outer ends:- secured between ends I of the transverse. partitions and having inner ends cut to form tongues detachably engageable with each other to releasably secure the said side extensions in overlapped partitionforming engagement with each other, and said bottom being ioldable transversely along a fold line midway its width to reduce the carrier to a folded position disposing the transverse partitions and the rear wall forming partitions longitudinally of the carrier and in engagement with eachother.

2. A; collapsible carrier iormed'rirorma unitary blank ofsheet material having a central portion forming a bottom for the carrier, strips extending longitudinally of the bottom and integrally-united; therewith along opposite sides thereof..and.having free end portions extendingbeyond" ends of the bottom, said strips being bentr;upwardly-along. opposite sides of the bottom and forming side walls of the carrier and having their free end portions bent towards each other and forming end walls of the carrier and then bent inwardly -and storming" extensions: secured to' the side walls and forming-c transverse:

partitions: the end wall forming aportions 0110116:-

strip having tongues cut: from themrand'. secured against inner '1? aces of the end-wall forming per:- tions of theother strip; one strip; having: its endwall forming portions-- formed r with transverse extensions--extending alongtheir innersides and" partially severed therefrom-and constitutingfi'aps'bent upwardl y' and secured'lbetweenate tached endsof the transverse: portions.- and forming end" sections of" a longitudinal partition having'inner endsecut-to form tongues detache ahlyconnected in overlapping engagement with each other" and holding the longitudinal-"partition in place and thereby maintaining the end wall portions inplaceacross endsof the bottom.

3: A carrier formedof sheet=materialand comprising a'bottom, side walls-extending upwardlyalong opposite side edges of'said bottom" and having free end portions folded towards each other'and' secured and forming end walls for the carrier and then vent inwardlyag-alnst each other and having portions bent towards theside walls andsecured' at their outer ends to the side walls and forming transverse partitions in the-carrier, flaps alongside edges of thepartition forming portions of oneside wall partially severedtherefromand bent upwardly andsecured between the said partition-forming portions and'h'avingiree inner end portions and carrying tongues interlocked and detachably holding thefiapsinengagement with each other and therebyforming a' longitudinal partition in the'carrier; and' said bottom havinga longitudinal foldlinemidway its width adapting the carrier to be flattened when the flaps are releasedfrom each other;

4. A carrier comprising a bottom; side walls projectingmpwardly alongsides of said bottom, end walls formed of sections free from the bottom and extending towards each other from ends of. said side' walls andintegral therewith, and having; extensions bent inwardly and extending into end portions of the carrier and secured at their ends to the side walls and'forming transversepartitions in. the carrier," the extension forming one endwall'portion at'each endiof the carrier beingiprovided with a tongue securedto the .companionend wall portionand securing; the. companion. end wall, portions to each -.other, and'flaps integralwith but partially severed'from one extension at each-endof the carrier and'disposed'longitudinally of the carrier between companion extensions, saidflaps having inner ends detachably connected with each other and thereby forming a longitudinal partition in the carrier.

5. A carrier comprising a bottom, side walls projecting upwardly along sides of said bottom, end walls formed of sections extending towards each other from ends of said side walls and integral therewith, and having extensions extending into end portions of the carrier and toward the side walls secured at their ends to the side walls and forming transverse partitions in the carrier, the extension forming one end wall portion at each end of the carrier being provided with a tongue secured to the companion end wall portion and securing the companion end wall portions to each other, and flaps integral with but partially severed from one extension at each end of the carrier and disposed longitudinally of the carrier between companion extensions and having outer end portions folded inwardly and forming reinforcing strips, said flaps having inner end portions formed with tongues interlocked with each other and releasably holding the flaps in engagement with each other and thereby forming a longitudinal partition in the carrier, and said strips and portions of the extensions at opposite sides thereof being formed with handle-receiving openings.

ELI N. CASTLE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,285,399 Arneson June 9, 1942 2,300,374 De Ferrari Nov. 3, 1942 2,345,746 Goodyear Apr. 4, 1944 

